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Donair Dude
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Mediterranean Food Donairs Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Donairs
1172 Davie StreetVancouver, BC V6E 1N1
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 681-1801
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10 am - 3 am
Fri-Sat 10 am - 4 am
Sun 10 am - 2:30 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Donair Dude
Review Highlights
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"if you decide to get the pita style." In 7 reviews -
"Great deal: 2 donairs and pop for 12 bucks." In 3 reviews -
"...only complaint would be to have tzatziki sauce with lots of..." In 3 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Zachary S.
5/12/2012
After going to Donair King the previous night, I was totally craving another donair the next night as well. I decided to switch it up and go to Donair Dude as it had pretty good reviews on yelp.
I came in and it looked a little less authentic than Donair King so I was slightly confused. It was assembly line style and I decided to get every sauce and most of the toppings. When they put it on the panini maker I became even more confused.
The wrap itself was HUGE - it lasted an entire 30 minute walk back to to the hotel, and I loved every bit of it. The lamb did not seem quite as flavorful (by the tiniest amount) as Donair King's, but the overall package was incredibly tasty. The sauces did not clash and the Panini maker did a great job of grilling the pita and allowed me to eat it while walking with minimal spillage. Soooo good. I could eat one of these every day. -
Review from Kal C.
5/15/2012
DAYUM this place was delish.
There's an assembly line with tons of different ingredients. 3 different spreads (I chose hummus) and 3 different sauces.
The lamb is good, but I'm used to the lamb I get at home, which is excellent.
All of the ladies here were very friendly.
With a name like "Donair Dude" I was expecting it to be one guy making a bunch of donairs.
On another note, I discovered that Pop Up Video still exists by eating here while it was playing on TV. -
Review from KERRY G.
Vancouver, BC
5/14/2012
Well they started out really good and then for some reason I guess they decided the beef they were using was to EXPENSIVE or something because they changed the BEEF and now it dry doesn't taste very good. They also use to have Cheddar & Mozzarella cheese and the last couple of times we went there all they had was FETA YUKKKK.
We use go everyday and enjoyed it now I won't waste my time or money on it. It is a shame as we really enjoyed going there oh well
Thanks -
Review from Andrew W.
5/13/2012
YUMMMMM!!!! I was in heaven with my food from Donair Dude. Located on Davie St. this was a perfect stop on the way back to our hotel. My donair had lamb and all sorts of veggies. The meat was pretty darn good but not the best. I also loved the hummus. The staff created a bit of a language barrier which made it a bit difficult to understand in a small restaurant full of drunken people though it was quick and tasty. I am now dreaming of my next visit to Vancouver so I can go to Donair Dude.
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Review from Megan S.
3/22/2012
I'm pretty gobsmacked by the fact that this place is holding down a solid 4.5 star rating.
If you think paying just over $7 for a mediocre donair the size of a toddler's head equals a pleasing lunch experience, then this place is for you. Personally, I prefer substance over size. Two visits in two years and both have left me disgruntled. My biggest complaints:
1) The donairs are made from two pitas, one stuffed inside the other. TWO! If you manage to consume the entire thing, you're eating almost 200 calories of completely unnecessary bread.
2) I know there's a pretty low ceiling for greatness when you're talking about reconstituted lamb, but the meat here is super dry and the only discernible flavour is salt.
3) I'm normally not one to complain about abundant servings of vegetables (I love vegetables!) but the meat to veggie ratio here is way off.
4) The tabouleh is far too heavy on the bulgar for my liking, adding to the already ridiculously carb-centric wrap.
5) Overall flavour is flat; garlic and salt are not sufficient seasonings for a truly great Middle Eastern dining experience.
Check out nearby Donair King or Falafel King for more satisfying donairs, or even better, head down to Denman and treat yourself to Babylon Café. -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
3/29/2012
Maybe I'm being a bit too biased towards nice, young women serving me, but it's the first time I've experienced at a donair place, instead of the usual, middle-aged owner. Does have clean decor, and nicer than the ones on Granville, imho.
the portions were good, but you do have to tell them to be easy on the sauce, if you're watching your weight like me. Good fresh ingredients.
Very busy part of Davie, so don't expect to find much parking during rush hour where you can't park. -
Review from zack f.
Vancouver, BC
4/27/2012
I am now on a donair/shwarma tour of Vancouver. Donair dude has decent taste, large portions, and bonus points for lots of variety. It's a pretty good value, I just wish they I could get proper tzatiki or more hummus instead of the sweet donair yogurt sauce, which I find rather gross. It's a poor substitute for the former options.
I ordered a chicken schwarma plate which for about $9 came with rice, salad (custom made), two falafels, a pita (3 sauce options) and tabouleh or greek salad. I got extra salad in lieu of rice along with tabouleh and falafel. As others have commented, the tabouleh was too heavy on bulgar and light on veggies. The falafels were the typical re-heated crap I have come to expect in Vancouver. Why can't someone make freshly fried falafels that crunch on the outside with softness inside? Is is so hard? Seriously.
I liked that I was able to pick out what went into my salad, including extra pickled turnips, and I got an extra side of some kind of sauce to spread on the pita. The large quantity of food impressed as did the variety, but the taste just wasn't that thrilling. My favorite remains Sammy's on Denman and Robson. -
Review from Lara K.
Vancouver, BC
4/12/2012
I love Donair Dude. It's open late so if I am watching movies late and get hungry, I can walk over. Fresh ingredients and many available. You can choose to have your wrap in a pita or soft tortilla, and the soft tortillas have several different flavors (cheese, spinach and tomato I think?) You are asked what you want in your donair (sort of like subway) and they have great sauces (sweet, white donair sauce and hot) and toast it for you. One of my fave places to eat on Davie street. :)
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Review from Maya M.
North Vancouver, BC
2/14/2012
For take-out or counter-seating donairs, you can't get any better!
The meat off the spit looks fresh and juicy, not dried out and gross like most places. I would recommend asking for half of the veggies you want added otherwise you won't be able to fit the donair in your mouth when it's done (kind of like Subway where they will pile it on if you don't tell them how much).
The sauces are sooo delicious and they grill the donair after stuffing it so all of the cheese melts.
I'm addicted! -
Review from Adriana B.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2012
Huge portions for cheap. If you are hungry, this is the place to go! I would often order lunch and have plenty of leftovers for later. I always get takeout as I'm not a huge fan of the ambience, it doesn't strike me as a place to hang out and enjoy a meal. My one major complaint is that their falafels are always dry (otherwise the falafel plate would be amazing). I had their chicken a couple of times though and it was delicious - really tender and juicy.
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Review from Tessa B.
1/16/2012
Holy crap! My friend derailed our route home on the demand that we HAD to go to Donair Dude. I kept laughing at the name and calling her crazy, but I will laugh no more! Donair Dude is definitely worth going out of your way for.
We're all vegetarians, so we just got the falafel, but it is a damn fine falafel like none other I've had. From their willingness to make it super spicy to the thin and (once toasted) pita, it's an absolute delight.
They make it sandwich-place style, where once you order you tell them all the veggies and sauces you want in it, so you get the freedom to customize it just the way you like!
I'll definitely be trekking into the Davie village again soon, just for this falafel! -
Review from Matt w.
4/17/2012
The worst or 2nd worst doner/shawarma I've ever had anywhere in the world. Bar none. On ANY continent in ANY country. It had no flavor, it was all brown meat and it was kinda dry. The staff had no clue what they were doing. One woman was very friendly the other had a bizarre/rotten attitude. The nice one had no idea what she was doing.
The "Greek" salad had chunks of bell pepper in it that were so large, like the size of 1/4 of a whole bell pepper, it was absolutely sickening.
The worker asked what spread I wanted on my pita. I said the garlic spread. She literally slathered it on the outside of the pita. That was truly disgusting. I never seen anyone do that. It LITERALLY tasted like a pile of margarine with almost no garlic flavor. The one decent thing was the rice. There were two of us that went, we got absolutely sick from the food for the rest of the day.
Please do NOT listen to the high ratings. This place has absolutely disgusting food. -
Review from Q B.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2012
I didn't know I could eat a donair that I wouldn't like. Horribly salty and flavour was not good other than that either. I gave it one star on that first day.
Went again the other day. I would give it 3 stars now. The donair here is big but I still prefer the flavour at other places. -
Review from Maria C.
12/16/2011
Not only is their food 5 star worthy but can Tibet get any more adorable? ;)
My friends and I will definitely be going back! -
Review from Vonnie C.
Burnaby, BC
11/25/2011
Work close by, so frequent often. Always order their donair. First few times got it with the pita it normally comes in, then started ordering it with their flavoured tortillas instead (curry, sundried tomato, spinach, etc). More tastier and less carbs (They use 2 pitas to wrap the donair to ensure it won't break apart).
They make the tastiest donair since you can choose a flavoured pita and on top of that they've got 3 spreads to choose from (hummus, garlic spread and a hot sauce spread). I always get all 3. Then at the end there's even more sauces to put on: tsaziki, hot and a sweet sauce they call halifax sauce.
Once they put all the veggies and the chicken, it sure is one HUGE meal. Good for days that i've skipped breakfast! Do agree that it would be better if they cut the chicken when serving instead of having it precut, but still DELISH!
I've never had their plates before so can't comment on that, but for those i usually grab the chicken shwarma plates from Falafel King (Davie or Denman).
Just noticed when i was in last week that they now offer a 10% discount for students and St. Paul's staff...whoo hoo! -
Review from Paola C.
Vancouver, BC
9/19/2011
Can't believe I didn't try this place sooner!! I thought that my donair from New Westminster could not be beat (I used to drive from downtown Van to New West just to eat there), but this one is off the charts. The owner of this one, coincidently actually worked New West one and recognized/remembered me from frequently eating there (which should clue you in on how much I eat donairs cause this was years ago) so extra points for that!
The donair was sooo tasty, lots of selection of what to add for your personal taste and great staff.. lol.. Saw the comments of the very energetic girl, and I think I know who you guys are talking about.. But hey, I'd go for over energetically (is that word?) friendly anytime rather than super snob.
I've eaten a lot of donairs in my life lol.. from many different places and I have to say for taste, size and price... this one cannot be beat. TRUST ME!!! :) -
Review from Nick C.
11/24/2011
My favorite spot to grab a donair. They have the best donair customization I've seen so far. All the choices are spread out nicely like you'd get at a typical sub shop. That makes it easy when it is late and all you want to do is point at your selection. Donair Dude always does the trick.
Great deal: 2 donairs and pop for 12 bucks -
Review from Cathy S.
8/29/2011
The Donair Dude abides.
Too many perky, young woman staffing this place made me think that I have entered a Tim Horton franchise, but the heat thrown off the spits brought me back to reality. I ordered the grilled chicken pita donair and had basically every spread,sauce and veggie thrown on. The end product was large enough to feed a family of 4. Not too bad for 5.99 + tax. Tip number 1 - even if you plan on eating in, order it to-go as you will need the wrapping to take home the half that you won't be able to finish.
I have never had a shawarma/donair in which the pita is grilled, a feature for which I was reticent, but it actually served a good purpose. It kept the sides firm so that the innards didn't flop out when I was eating it and it sealed the pita seams keeping the juices from flowing out everywhere.
Even though they made my donair with chicken from a bin instead of off the spit, they were replenishing the bin frequently from the spit so it was still pretty fresh. The chicken was plentiful, juicy and tender but lacked a little of the flavor and spiciness which I prefer. Overall, I think this place is worthy of a return visit if I am hungry and around this part of Davie.Listed in: Swarms of Shawarma
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Review from Shalisa S.
1/17/2012
We love a good donair. They seemed to have more options than I'm used to, and that made it fun. The size of these are HUGE. Great flavor. I would not hesitate to go back again and again.
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Review from Jee M.
Vancouver, BC
2/10/2012
Best don air great when your drunk or partying and if your hungry grab one it's so good the female staff are friendly and hot...
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Review from Josh H.
Vancouver, BC
10/7/2011
Definitely the best Donair (Doner) I've had in Vancouver so far. For $6, the amount they stuff into the double-wrapped pita is astounding. Though some of the add-ons are a bit on the strange side (pineapple, for example), the presence of red cabbage makes up for it.
It's more of a Doner Kebab/Burrito hybrid, with the way it's stuffed, but you really can't go wrong. This is going to be my regular kebab shop. -
Review from Annette D.
3/3/2012
So delicious! I had never had a Donair. It is similar to a gyro but with many more topping options. The lamb was deliciously seasoned and the serving was huge. I had half for lunch the next day.
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Review from Sohayl H.
Vancouver, BC
5/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing
I have had donairs from some of the top restaurants/stands in Montreal, Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Istanbul and this oddly colored restaurant in Vancouver knocked me off my feet. What is even more shocking is that donair dude manages to do this while making some unorthodox moves. The fact that the donair is grilled like a panini is what stand out the most. At first I was disappointed that this had been done to such a wonderfully packed pita but it did not take away at all from the taste and if anything it helped lock in the sauces so that mess was kept to a minimum. To top it off this spot is very affordable. So listen to Cyrus G. and go buy a chicken donair! -
Review from Paul R.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2012
I tried this place this week after reading all the reviews, and having tried most of the other donair joints in the 'hood. What a disappointment. The chicken donair weighed twice as much as any other due to all the overwhelming bread and raw vegetables filling it up. The meat did not come off the spit but from a reserve supply behind the counter. The crazy mixture of sauces and fillers made it kind of 'gross'.
The server spoke so fast with a thick foreign accent that I had to repeat everything twice to confirm my order.
I started in on the food, then got a (plastic) fork to pick out what I then thought might be the tasty bits, but then just tossed 3/4 of it out. It was so unappetizing. What a waste.
Oh, and when I paid for it I got a few pieces of foreign currency look-a likes in change,
clearly not even close to the coin value I deserved back.
I'd give this place a miss.
Back to Donair King for me! -
Review from Juliana B.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2011 ROTD 3/25/2012
I'm writing this review after having had 3 bites of my friends shawarma wrap last tuesday at like 1 am while drunk.
Dear Donair Dude,
I hope you know that I am soon going to be poor and homeless. Why? Because since that first bite of my friends wrap I was hooked. I've broken free from my typical Vancouverite sushi habit and have developed a taste for shawarma. Within the last week I've eaten at three different shawarma places, so thanks for ruining my life. Please send a cheque for the rehab I will undoubtedly need in a few months.
Damn you and your amazingly flavorful wraps. -
Review from Charly S.
11/24/2011
Crispy, delicious donairs - my only complaint would be to have tzatziki sauce with lots of garlic. They have hummus spreads and also what they call donair sauce (sweet sauce), but neither have enough garlic for my liking. The rest of the donair was great though, and a great deal too. $12 for 2 donairs and a pop. They load the donair with meat and toppings, and they spread it out so that you don't get bites of lettuce only - it's all evenly distributed and then pressed in a grill machine so it's crispy and delicious. Friendly service. Lots of people, very minimal seating.
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Review from Mike S.
Vancouver, BC
1/9/2012
Large portions, friendly staff, reasonably priced, fairly quick 3 star tasting fair...
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Review from Joshua N.
3/3/2011
I want to preface this review with a disclaimer: I'm from Montreal, where Lebanese food grows on trees, and I may have been bottle-fed on shawarma. Consequently, my standards for middle-eastern meat-filled pita food are probably higher than most Vancouverites.
What I like about Donair Dude is that the pitas are stuffed with toppings, they don't skimp on the meat, the ingredients are fresh (except that they cut up the meat in advance instead of slicing it straight off the spit into your pita), there is a decent variety of sauces (hummus, garlic sauce, hot sauce, tzatziki... at least. I believe there are others as well). They have a varied menu that includes donair, shawarma, falafel, chicken pita -- and they will even make your sandwich on a tortilla instead of a pita. I like the cross-cultural effort.
The prices are pretty good: you can get two regular pitas for $11 with a can of pop, or two large pitas and a pop for $13. If you're still hungry after that, have a large piece of baklava for an additional $1.50.
They lose a star in my books for authenticity (this place is more like an extra-extra-good Pita Pit than a real shawarma/donair stand). The pitas are tasty but I feel like there's an extra step missing here... thicker hummus? spicier meat? brinier pickled turnips? I realize a step up in flavour will probably mean a rise in prices, so for now I like this place the way it is.Listed in: Davie Street's Eats
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Review from Peter S.
9/20/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Holy Shawarma Dude, that's a big-ass Donair!
Best in BC? (that's what the Dude's sign says)... I doubt it.
But I would love to see a battle between Babylon and the Dude.
A war of sauces and tsasikis.
A duel of meat and grease.
A bitch slap of donair vs donair Davie style.
A r e y o u r e a d y ?
LET'S GET IT ON!Listed in: Pig Out
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Review from Will H.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
cut the chciken when serving like most other schwarma places please!!!
i used to think there a 4 star for value and taste but it seems thy are going downhill. ive been there many times and lately the ckicken has been hard from sitting out too long and there are too amny salty vegs and not enough meat. i do likek the toppings tho and size so it still tempting to go back. if they'd smiply improve the meat size and quality a little bit it would be enough to go back once a week.... -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
I only know a few things about Halifax: they're east coast, have a cool uni and most importantly they have this sweet donair sauce that makes a bite taste like dinner AND dessert, and for that reason, I am a fan.
My donair was freshly made with the crispest red onion I have tasted outside of my own kitchen. The meat was carved from a spit and then folded together, grilled and handed to me in a pouch to go, for $7 because, of course, I just had to add cheese.
To top it off, the service was as sweet as my halifax sauce! -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
6/19/2010
Davie has another late night quick bite pit stop. Cheap, bright with alot more room than its competitor.
Alright, I love a good Donair. Yet another culinary luxury of the meat lovers. You know what this place has going for it? Customer service. I chose to eat in as opposite to the old walk and chew and one of the very mindful people that worked there popped by with a fork.
Even when I ordered the woman I was dealing with was chipper but not too the point where you want to know 'how much Red Bull have you had?' She knew her product that's for sure.
It's not the best Donair I've had. The flavour was pretty flat. Donairs are supposed to be anything but that.
However, I had a truly good time sitting there being stuffed to the gills by the portions they dole out.
Of course, before leaving this review, i have to address the name - you can't forget it after hearing or seeing it. I half expect Ashton Kutcher to pop out and ask 'where's my car, dude?' Or perhaps some surfer dude to serve me at the counter. -
Review from Nancy C.
8/11/2011
I'm in love with this place. Great good, great prices. They pack the donairs so full as juicy goodness. I tried lamb, chicken, and beef and they were all amazing. The perfect balance of fresh veggies and succulent meat. I wish they had stuff like this in the Bay Area. Thank goodness someone at La Belle Patate recommended this!
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Review from Ryan H.
Vancouver, BC
8/30/2011
THE BEST DONAIR SHOP IN VANCOUVER! Hands Down! Sooooo Tasty :)
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Review from Blaine H.
Port Moody, BC
5/27/2010
Finally! Great donair in Vancouver with beloved Halifax style sweet sauce. All fresh ingredients, very tasty, and plenty of meat and toppings stuffed in the pita shell. They grill it which I wasn't a fan of at first but they did a great job and the crunchy pita really added to it.
Would have been 5/5, but they pulled meat out of a tray instead of freshly sliced off the spit.
Will definitely be a return customer. After being bit by the donair bug in Halifax and Edmonton, it's something I've been greatly missing coming home to Vancouver. -
Review from Brandi P.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 7/5/2011
New menu item....lentil balls...I have died and gone to heaven! In love!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/1/2011
I have eaten at this place a number of times. The food is always pretty good. The issues that I have… Read more »
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Review from Cyrus G.
4/19/2011 18 Check-ins Here
As a self-proclaimed donair/falafel/schwarma connoisseur, I have to say this is the best of its kind in Vancouver. What they do with the bread is nothing short of a miracle. The rest of the ingredients are top-notch and the price is competitive. What more do you want? Stop reading and go buy a chicken donair!
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Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
3/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
My go-to shawarma order is a chicken shawarma. At Donair Dude you are in good hands for this item. No need to get the large. The regular is generous enough. I like that their chicken is crispy AND juicy and that they put the shawarma in a sandwich press before handing it over.
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Review from Kimli W.
10/26/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Closest I've found to Queen Donair in Edmonton. The sweet sauce is still all wrong - way too much garlic powder - but the meat is damn close, if not the same. A massive array of topping choices await you, and big? Forget about it - these donairs are HUGE. The $6 large will last you two or more meals, it's so big. The service is friendly, the portions are ridiculous, they're open 24 hours, and it's as close as you'll get to Queen Donair - I kind of love this place.
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Review from Andrej K.
Vancouver, BC
4/3/2011
I felt like my lamb wrap was prepared with love. And there was a lot of it. And it was good.
